The Return of Wonder Woman
by Kidscomix
Summary: Combining elements of both the t.v. show and the defunct David. E. Kelley pilot, this is a reimagined version of the character. A tragic 1986 attack on U. S. soil forces the original Wonder Woman to leave Man's World and take up the throne of Paradise Island. When news of her daughter, Diana, taking up a vigilante mantle of the moniker, the Amazons are forced to bring her home.
1. Chapter 1

_Long ago before Man was created, the primordial entity of Mother Earth, Gaia, bore the mythical Greek gods and goddesses of Mount Olympus. It was said that King Zeus usurped the throne of Olympus by overthrowing his Titan father, Cronus, and imprisoned him the deepest pits of the underworld Tartarus. Since then, Mortals have been placed on Earth to worship the Greek gods and to help guide them; three immortal priestesses born from the muse Ortrera and the God of War, Ares, who would shape mankind in the ways of peace, harmony, and love._

_They were Antiope, Hippolyta, and Penthesilea._

_Led by the eldest sister Antiope, the three priestesses traveled the world sharing their ideals of peace and tranquility. However, their father Ares shared a different vision. As the personification of chaos and destruction, the God of War became enraged at his daughters' attempts of squelching his lust for war and bloodshed. Corrupting the evils of Man, he ordered that his daughters be captured, enslaved, defiled and imprisoned for their beliefs._

_Enraged at their father's folly, the three sisters broke free and released other enslaved women of from Greece and Rome and united them into an all-female zealot squadron known as the Amazons. Declaring war on Ares and any men who have wronged them, the Amazons became invincible in battle. Sadly, their rebellion soon came to an end during the Attic War. Upon the betrayal of Penthesilea to the Athenian general Theseus, their leader Antiope was killed in combat which left Hippolyta to rise to the ranks of Queen. Penthesilea took half the Amazon forces and retreated to the Middle East and formed a new tribe, the Bana-Mighdall while Hippolyta escaped with the half of the Amazons to a secluded, mystical island blessed by the goddesses and named it Paradise Island._

_It was on Paradise Island that Queen Hippolyta imbued her women warriors with eternal beauty, immortality, and superior abilities and lived away from the world of Man while promoting the original sisterhood philosophies of love and peace for over two thousand years. The Amazons believed their civilization was perfect until the day a wounded World War II pilot by the name of Major Steven Trevor came to island and forever changed their world._

_Queen Hippolyta's daughter, Princess Diana, fell in love with the blond soldier and followed him back to the United States under the guise of the Amazon heroine Wonder Woman. Protecting the world from the Axis forces, Diana performed her duties and eventually returned to Paradise Island. However, the world had not changed in thirty five years. Due to Ares's machinations, global conflicts have escalated to the point Diana had to return to the modern world to take up her Wonder Woman mantle once more and continue to fight in the name of peace and justice._

_Yet, it seemed the word of peace would be a neverending battle…_

* * *

_**T**_

_**he Washington Monument, Washington D.C. **_

_**1986**_

The clanging of swords echoed in the air. The thick, green grass surrounding the area began to get trampled on by the heavy, metal boots, and the concrete walkway path became scuffed by strong feminine imprints of classical Spartan armor. Hordes of statuesque females arrived by the hundreds wearing gladiator helmets, long flowing togas, metal gauntlets, and sporting sharp weapons from swords to spears as they attacked each other in broad daylight. Spectators, both civilian and military, observed the women in nervous shock and morbid fascination as they violently killed and maimed one another without hesitation or mercy.

"AMAZONS OF BANA-MIGHDALL! KILL OUR ENEMIES OF PARADISE ISLAND! THEY SIDE WITH THE MURDERERS OF YOUR QUEEN!"

The voice echoed from the crowd of foot soldiers dressed in black as a female warrior with evil green eyes and red hair commanded the attacking army. Dressed in silver body armor, a long purple cape, and wearing a huge dragon medallion, the sinister woman raised her sword and aimed it toward the American military whom in turn had their rifles raised at the marauders. Loud explosions of bullets ripped through the air but did little in harming the armored women as their arsenal ricocheted off their metal coverings, shattering the shell casings, and dropping the remnants to the ground. Aware that their weaponry was useless against their enemies, the male troops lowered their artillery.

"FOOLS!" The red haired cackled. "YOUR MALE WEAPONS ARE USELESS AGAINST OUR MYSTICAL ARMOR! OUR MAGICAL FEMININUM ALLOY SHIELDS US! BANA-MIGHDALL! KILL ALL THE MEN!"

"NO!" A loud protest came from another female figure in gold and red that matched her fellow comrades who disposed of two Bana opponents. With superhuman agility, the mysterious woman miraculously leaped across her enemies and descended upon the scarlet haired general, touching the ground in front of her foe and flashed her shield in front of the enemy with the dragon crest necklace. Gripping the top of her golden helmet, the warrior ripped it off her head to reveal the grayish, golden curls and small wrinkles around her ivory face. She held a regal presence and commanded respect from her foe even though the red haired general appeared unimpressed by her.

The general smirked. "Hippolyta."

Queen Hippolyta pointed the sharp end of her sword at the woman. "Penthesilea! Sister, stop this! This is madness! These men are not our enemy!"

Penthesilea snorted. "You are wrong, Hippolyta. Men are the reason of what is wrong in the world or have you forgotten? They killed our sister!"

The Amazon monarch had not. Memories of their enslavement brought forth sad and depressing recollections of the past. She did not want to remember the truth of how her two daughters were conceived and standing in front of her traitorous sister made it even more difficult but Hippolyta would not submit to her younger sibling. Shaking her head, the Queen remained strong.

"I haven't forgotten, Antiope. However, I've learned to forgive Man and over the centuries have taught the Amazons of Paradise Island to do the same. We women have evolved becoming stronger and faster than any Man in this world but we remained with our convictions to promote the sisterhood of peace. You and the Bana, obviously, have not! I still believe in our ideals and I'll die defending it!"

"Then you are a fool, Hippolyta!" Penthesilea hissed. The scarlet haired Amazon eyed her older sibling with ridicule and contempt. "Tell me, dear Sister, have you revealed the truth of Diana's and Druscilla's births?" Hippolyta did not respond. "Of course not, you wouldn't want to acknowledge the true identity of their father! How the queen of the Amazons of Paradise Island was raped by the God's champion and forced to bear him two daughters…"

The monarch seethed. She picked up her sword and charged at her sister. "Taunt me all you want, Penthesilea, but I've learned and granted forgiveness long ago for all Mortals including those of men! You will not kill them as long as there is breath in me and my fellow Sisters!"

Cocking an eyebrow, Penthesilea smirked. "So be it." Then the two women advanced upon one another.

The singing of metal swayed through the air. A loud ping resonated amid the chaos of warriors on both sides wearing either red or black combating each other while being surrounded by American forces. Troops from all areas of the government from the Army, Marines, and even the Air Force were called in to intervene but even they were powerless against these immortal women and their magical weaponry.

Penthesilea dashed forward in attempt to stab Hippolyta with her sword but the Amazon monarch parried and deflected the attack with her shield. Then with the cunning of an experienced fighter, the older woman brought her leg up and kicked at her younger sister's abdomen bringing her down to the ground.

"Centuries of cowardice has made you weak, Sister," grinned Hippolyta. "You still haven't learned to best me in a swordfight!"

The red headed woman raked the ground with her nails. "You may be a better fighter, Hippolyta, but I'm the most intelligent." She hissed at her sister. "Tell me, how did it feel to be cursed with aging by the Gods?"

Taken aback by her sibling's question, Hippolyta sighed. During the Attic War when the Amazons battled the Athenians for their freedom, Hippolyta and Penthesilea retreated to opposite sides of the globe and took with them each half of their tribe. Praying to the Goddesses of Mount Olympus for sanctuary, both women were given a safe haven away from Mortals. Hippolyta became queen of Paradise Island and Penthesilea was made ruler of the Bana-Mighdall in the Middle East. In exchange for immortal beauty and superhuman abilities for their Amazon sisters, both women were cursed with delayed aging where each queen would age one year for each century that past. For Hippolyta, she might appear to be in her mid-forties but was well over two thousand years in her prime. Yet, that did not hinder her ability to be great warrior on the battlefield.

"I made peace with the curse the Gods have placed upon me, Penthesilea," Hippolyta stated. She pointed her sword at her sister. "What have you sacrificed for your people? Nothing. Your arrogance made you both a traitor and a coward to your fellow people! What do you offer to gain your immortality and strength?"

The Bana general flared her nostrils. "I made a pact with Father!"

Hippolyta's eyes widened. "Ares, the God of War? That's not possible! He's held captive in the pits of Tartarus!"

The red haired woman snickered wickedly. "Do you think those chains will bind him for long?" She placed her hand on the dragon medallion. "This symbol was gift from the war God himself. Blessed by the Titan Cronus himself, it bestows upon me great power and magic beyond the confines of Man! He blessed me with dark magic in exchange that I help free him when the time comes and in return he will destroy the deities of Mount Olympus and conquer Man so that they shall worship him as the Supreme Being. Then he has vowed to place me upon the throne to serve as Empress of this world!"

The Amazon queen cocked her head in disgust. She gripped her sword tight. "This is madness! Ares cares nothing for Mortals or even the Gods themselves. He's using you, Penthesilea! He'll destroy you to further his own means! You have must not side with him!"

"LIAR!" The Bana leader screamed. She touched the medallion as it glowed bright. Suddenly a flash of light ripped through the warring crowed. An invisible barrier of magic slammed through the warriors, separating them to both sides as bodies of female zealots in armor flew everywhere. Hippolyta tried to gain her footing before an unseen wave crashed into her body and sent her sailing backwards several feet in the air before crashing her against the hard grass.

With the wind knocked out of her, the older warrior clutched her stomach trying to bring oxygen into her lungs while ignoring the throbbing pain in her belly. "Penthesilea…stop…this…" she pleaded. "Ares has poisoned your mind…he'll destroy us all…"

The silver armored general cackled. "PENTHESILEA IS GONE! I AM NOW THE SORCERESS CIRCE!" She lifted her palm, touched her glowing medallion with other hand, and shot a ray of energy at the Amazon queen.

Hippolyta's mouth dropped as a line of electricity rushed toward her. She attempted to jump out its path but it was too late. The magical bolt struck her and tossed her back against the ground. The immortal monarch knew that her younger sister finally bested her.

* * *

A mile away along the highway, IADC agents Steve Trevor and Diana Prince sped toward the combat zone as they listened to the live coverage of the news on the radio of their van. Sitting in the backseat was Diana's teen sister Druscilla who, for obvious reasons, should not be accompanying two government operatives in the line of fire but given the circumstances the young girl was needed for this mission. It had been three years since Diana revealed to Steve her true identity as the magical superheroine Wonder Woman which squashed any possibility of a romantic relationship with the amazing Amazon but seeing the good that the princess did in the world meant that the IADC agent needed to keep his partner's crimefighting persona a secret. In the end it did alter the dynamic of their friendship.

"Turn it up!" Druscilla ordered the pair in the front seat to increase the volume on the radio. Dressed in hot pink t-shirt, torn jeans, and boots, the teen Amazon looked the part of every eighties mall girl but she did her best at fitting in with Mortals by learning the strange customs and American lingo. "That is sooo like horrible to hear. Fer sure!"

Diana pushed her nerdy large glasses to her face and shrugged. Still wearing her signature black hair pulled back in a bun and floral long dresses, she turned the knob on the radio and listened.

"_The bizarre battle continues involving what seems to be two Amazon factions engaged in a civil war of sorts at the Washington Monument. Both sides of women are wearing silver or gold armor and sporting black or red outfits while attacking each other with swords, spears, bow and arrows, and shields. Reports are coming in that they are magical in nature as strange flashes of lights are coming from the crowd._

_According to our military forces, several of our armed soldiers have fallen and so far forty have been reported dead or wounded. Emergency crews are on the scene but with the melee of these Amazons attacking the combat zone, it's becoming difficult for them to do their jobs. _

_President Regan has issued a State of Emergency on American soil by these Amazon invaders and is sending more troops to the battle site to deal with the problem. From what we understand, these are not the same Amazons from the nation's beloved crimefighter Wonder Woman from her home country of Paradise Island but in fact terrorists from the secret nation known as Bana-Mighdall. So far the patriotic superwoman has yet to make an appearance…"_

Diana shut off the radio as Druscilla pouted in the backseat.

"That sucks to the max!" The teen princess frowned.

"It does, Dru," exhaled her older sister. "It sure does."

Seeing a secluded spot off the highway, Diana pointed to a grove of trees that connected to the exit. "Turn there and let us off, Steve!" She said to her blond partner.

Agent Steve Trevor pulled the van toward the steep clearing and parked the vehicle. Diana and Druscilla opened the passenger doors and jumped out.

"What are you doing?" Steve asked with concern.

"We got to change," explained Diana. "Head out to the warzone. Dru and I will meet you there."

Despite his concerns, the blond IADC agent clucked his tongue, leaned in and shut the passenger doors before peeling out of the secluded clearing. Diana pushed back her glasses and frowned as the van peeled away and headed toward the battlefield.

"Come on, Di," pouted Dru as she placed her hands to her hips. "Let's like totally kick some Bana ass!"

Diana grinned. "Fer sure." She teased as she winked at her little sister. Spreading their arms wide, they felt the invisible magic blessed upon them by the Gods of Mount Olympus. Summoning forth the power, they spun and wove the unseen mystical gift into one giant cocoon until it entwined and wrapped around them into big, ball of giant light. The two Amazon princesses allowed the true nature of their power surge through them, causing their Mortal clothes to dissipate and replace them with star spangled satin tights complete with matching tiaras and powerful weaponry and armaments. Within seconds, Wonder Woman and Wonder Girl stood opposite of each other ready to fight.

"Time to clean house," said Diana.

Dru agreed and simply nodded. The two superheroines raced off toward the Washington Monument.

* * *

Blood seeped the ground as bodies of both the United States military and fallen Amazons of both sides stained the grass and concrete. The Bana-Migdhall leader that once was Penthesilea now calling herself Circe clutched her dragon medallion and began shooting bolts of evil magic into anyone that stood in her way. Realizing that their former queen had betrayed them, the Bana Amazons joined forces with the Amazons of Paradise Island and began to battle the wicked sorceress.

"FOOLS!" Circe shrieked. "SURRENDER TO YOUR EMPRESS AND MAYBE ARES AND I SHALL BE MERCIFUL!"

Both Amazon sides refused and found themselves killed through the point of sharp, magical spear or sword. Wonder Woman and Wonder Girl sprinted across the field of corpses only to recognize a female in golden armor signaling to them for assistance and gasping for breath. Diana's and Dru's eyes opened wide as they identified the fallen warrior with a spear plunged into her chest.

"MOTHER!" Diana screamed. She ran toward the Amazonian queen as her little sister trailed after her completely distraught.

Tears fell from the princess's eyes as she removed her mother's helmet and lifted Hippolyta's head. All around them, their courageous Sisters continued to battle the evil sorceress only to fall in battle.

"Diana…Dru…" whispered Hippolyta. Wet streaks of sadness stained the Queen's face. "I'm…sorry…"

Cradling her mother's head in her lap, Diana whimpered. "Mother, don't talk like that. We'll get you a doctor that can heal you…"

Hippolyta coughed a few times as blood fell from her mouth. "No…daughter…I'm dying…"

Diana's eyes widened. "Mother! No! Don't talk like that…"

"It's…too late for me…" the Amazon queen whispered. "Diana…you have to stop Penthesilea…you have to save Man's world…"

Druscilla leaned down to touch her mother's arm whose skin turned cold and pale. Hippolyta's eyes stared at her youngest child and smiled before turning lifeless and unmoving. Then the realization of the Amazon queen's diagnosis finally struck her.

Hippolyta was dead.

"NOOOOO!" Wonder Girl bellowed. Fury sparked in her eyes as she set her focus upon Circe. She sprang forward and leaped at the wicked sorceress.

Too late to stop her younger sibling, Wonder Woman reached out to her. "Dru! Stop!"

Her words fell on deaf ears as Circe simply smirked at the young lass in the star spangled outfit and raised her hands. Sparks of magical electricity surged through the witch's fingers as she made contact to Wonder Girl's red V-neck tunic and sent a wave of heated current through the Amazon lass's body; Drusilla raised her head and stared at her older sister before releasing a bloodcurdling scream.

"DRUSCILLA!" Diana shrieked.

Wonder Woman's anguish cries fell on deaf ears as Circle cackled with sinister laughter at the patriotic lass writhing and convulsing in agony beneath her powerful hands. Sounds of gunfire echoed across the field as Agent Steve Trevor fired several rounds at the villainous traitor but each projectile shell shattered in midair as the sorceress cast a powerful spell to deflect the arsenal of rounds from his pistol. Glaring at the IADC blond agent, Circe dropped an unmoving, badly burned Wonder Girl to the ground and targeted Wonder Woman's ally.

Concentrating enough inner magic within her, the red haired witch palmed her hands and discharged a bolt of lightning at the IADC operative, who by now had run out of ammo, and dropped his mouth in shock as the an enormous ball of electricity came charging his way. Steve Trevor dropped to the ground.

"STEVE! RUN!"

He opened his eyes to see his raven haired angel shielding him with her arms crisscrossed in front of her chest as her Feminum bracelets came in direct contact with the electrical current. Diana's skin burned as the heat of voltage flayed her skin and caused them to blister, turn red, and strip away the layers of flesh and forming it into grotesque, charred mess. Despite the immense, throbbing pain wracking her body, the amazing Amazon was determined to persevere. The traitorous Penthesilea had murdered her mother, her younger sibling, and her fellow Sisters all in the name of power and she alone was the only one who could stop her.

Wonder Woman fought through the pain as the intense electrical current surged through her body, burned her skin and engulfed in the most agonizing torture. Forcing herself forward, her blue eyes glanced at her dead sister Druscilla and pushed her red and white boots across the field toward her enemy.

"SURRENDER LITTLE PRINCESS!" Circe taunted. The sorceress's voice dripped with hatred and bitterness. _Endure the pain, Diana. You are Wonder Woman. Champion in the Man's World. You cannot let Penthesilea win!_ The Amazon princess told herself. Circe bellowed some more. "I HAVE THE POWER OF ARES BY MY SIDE! YOU WILL KNEEL BEFORE ME!"

Diana gritted her teeth and paused as the witch increased her power. "Never, Circe! As long as the Man's World needs a protector to fight for them! I shall never surrender!"

"THEN DIE AS THEIR CHAMPION, WONDER WOMAN!" Circe snorted. Closing her hands, the electrical current became even bigger as a bolt of lightning struck the patriotic heroine and melted the Feminum bracelets on her wrists. Diana screamed in anguish as her body became engulfed in flames.

"DIANA!" Agent Steve Trevor cried out to his ally. Reaching into his pocket, he shoved an ammo cartridge into his gun, aimed his pistol at Circe, and began firing several rounds.

Once again the bullets shattered around the witch which only annoyed and fueled her anger toward the mortal IADC operative who was interloping during her victory. Turning her attention once again toward the blond man, the red haired sorceress aimed a free hand toward man and prepared to fire a huge bolt of energy.

Now realizing that her opponent was distracted, Wonder Woman shifted her gaze toward a metal sword clutched in one of her fallen Amazon Sister's hands. Weakened and barely unable to move due to being savagely burned by Circe's magical fire, Diana inhaled a breath, grabbed the sword and targeted the dragon medallion worn close to the witch's chest. All it took was one more last ditched effort and the Amazon princess made a superhuman leap with her weapon and struck at her foe.

Circe did not know what hit her. A sharp clang of metal vibrated around the nearly destroyed Washington Monument. Glancing down at the charred hand clutching an Amazon sword at the hilt, Circe saw blood seeping from her chest as the silver blade ran through her dragon medallion and toward the other side of her back. Suddenly a large ball of light exploded and both women drifted into the darkness and into the hereafter…

* * *

Blackness. Cries of sea gulls overhead and loud peaceful sounds of the rolling tides caught her attention. Diana heard the two sounds and felt the cool breeze mixed with the smell of salty air that captured her attention. Slowing opening her eyes, she adjusted her vision to realize she was wearing flowing robes and was lying down in a bed of soft, silky sand. Lifting herself up, she wiped away the dirt from her dress as she observed the gorgeous waves coming across the shore.

She placed a hand to the level of her eye to see the bright sunlight shining above the sky before sensing the presence of an ethereal figure walking toward her. Garbed in regal robes, armor, and wearing a helmet on her head, Diana noticed the golden eagle on the strange woman's breastplate and realized who she was. She dropped to her knees to bow before the mysterious stranger.

"Goddess Athena!" The Amazon princess apologized. "Forgive me for not addressing you sooner in your presence."

The Greek goddess of wisdom smiled, cupped Diana's chin, and gently lifted her face up to meet hers. There was something warm and inviting in her appearance which made the Amazon champion completely in awe of her. Diana's cheeks began to blush.

"No harm done, child," Athena smiled. "Your loyal patronage has proven time and time again to the Gods that you are truly our worthy champion."

Casting her eyes down, Diana stared at the sand beneath her feet. "I am no champion, Goddess Athena. I have failed as Wonder Woman in the Man's World. I could not stop my Aunt Penthesilea from destroying the world of Mortals! She has killed my mother, my sister, and my fellow Amazon people. I am truly alone and it serves as a fitting punishment for what I could not accomplish. If there are other consequences in store for me by the Gods, then I humbly am prepared to accept my fate. I truly am sorry for not being the hero that you expected me to be."

Athena shook her head. "Nonsense. Little princess, you sacrificed everything to save the world of Man including your life. For that, you should be commended and rewarded."

Diana raised her face and shrugged in protest. "But…I didn't, Athena. I couldn't stop Circe from releasing her last spell and engulfing the world in one big explosion!"

The Greek goddess rolled her eyes. "Diana, it might appear that way but rest assured you were victorious in battle."

Puzzled, the raven haired Amazon stared at the deity in disbelief. "But how?"

"Let's just say that mythical intervention was involved," giggled the Goddess of wisdom. "At the moment Circe cast her last destructive spell, the Gods decided to step in. We bent space and time to alter the events in your favor. Circe was made powerless and banished to parts unknown and you and your surviving Amazon sisters have been transferred back to Paradise Island to begin anew and continue your people's philosophies of peace and tranquility."

Cocking her head, Diana remained confused. "But what of the Man's World and the destruction of the Washington Monument? Everyone that died in battle due to Circe's hands. The Mortal soldiers, my mother, Dru, and the other Amazons? Surely, their deaths cannot be in vain?"

Athena sighed. "Even Death is beyond a God's control. It is forbidden for us to interfere with the duties of the God of the Underworld, Hades. I'm sorry for your friends, your family, and your fellow Sisters. However, we offer an alternative to reward you for your victories as our champion, Wonder Woman."

"What alternative?" The Amazon princess asked.

"Paradise Island needs a new queen," suggested the Goddess of Wisdom. "One who can unite the divided tribes of the Amazons including the Bana-Migdhall. In return, this island will not only bless your fellow Sisters with beauty and immortality but will naturally gift them with superhuman strength, speed, agility and dexterity even away from the island as a reward for their assistance in stopping Circe."

"You mean we wouldn't have to wear the Amazon belt of strength any longer?" Diana inquired. "We would be gifted with the abilities of the Earth Mother Gaea?"

Athena nodded. "Precisely. As a gift from the Gods, you and your Amazon Sisters would finally be demigods! In return, your people will serve as guardians of the magical armaments and weaponry of the heroic figures of Mount Olympus such as Hestia's Golden Lasso of Truth and Hephaestus's indestructible vambraces."

"That sounds all well and good," the Amazon princess noted. "Yet, which queen would be worthy to lead our people? Hippolyta was a just monarch and it would be hard to live up to her reign."

Athena laughed. "That is why you must lead them now, Diana."

The raven haired heroine flinched. "Me? But…I'm not ready…I'm not worthy…I can't live up to my Sister's expectations…"

Placing both hands on her shoulders, the Greek deity kissed the woman's forehead. "You are, Diana. You are princess among the Amazons. You were born for this and proved yourself worthy to be called Wonder Woman in the Man's World. Now it's time to honor your late mother and your younger sister by taking on the mantle as queen."

"But my responsibilities…" she began to protest. "My role as Wonder Woman…"

"No longer exists," explained Athena. "When Circe cast her spell, the Gods ensured that the bodies of your Amazon sisters were removed and buried in a remote location of this island concealed away from Man. Then we tampered with time to remove any public knowledge of Wonder Woman ever existing in the world of Mortals. The incident at the Washington Monument? The world will think it's just another terrorist attack by some unknown extremist group instead of the acts of the Amazon nation."

Diana hesitated before whispering to herself. "So Wonder Woman never existed…My friendships with Mortals…my relationship with Steve…"

"Never happened," Athena answered. "Which is for the best. Sure, there will be some talk of some mysterious superwoman in a patriotic costume that fought against the evils of oppression throughout history but you'll be more like an urban legend or some government conspiracy told in fairy tale books. It's for the best, Diana. Mortals and immortals shouldn't mix."

"But Steve…" the raven haired princess muttered. "I wish I told him…"

"That you had feelings for him?" Athena groaned. "Little princess, take it from the Gods. Relationships with Mortals are messy and contain more problems than they're worth. You're better off. Plus, a powerful Amazon carrying on in domestic bliss is not exactly something the Gods approve of. You're meant for bigger and better things."

Diana folded her arms. "Like what? Centuries of loneliness and cursed with no family? Was that what Queen Hippolyta wanted for me?"

The Goddess Wisdom frowned. "No. An even greater destiny. Motherhood."

"Motherhood?" The Amazon princess raised her eyebrows.

Pointing toward the sand, Athena emphasized her instructions. "Dig, Diana. Form a little sculpture in the sand."

The raven haired monarch did not question the deity. Dropping to her knees, Diana dug her fingers into the ground and shoved her nails into the dirt until she raked enough minerals to make her materials malleable and easy to work with. Pushing the sand into various shapes, she made a tiny torso, arms, legs, and finally a head before rising to her feet to wait for the Greek deity's approval.

"There, Athena," she said. "I've done as you asked. Now please explain to me what you meant by motherhood?"

Grabbing the Amazon princess's hand, the Greek goddess pricked Diana's finger with the sharp point of a dagger that was sheathed at her side. Small droplets of crimson fell on to tiny sand sculpture as Athena raised her hands and called out to the heavens.

"BROTHERS AND SISTERS OF MOUNT OLYMPUS!" The deity announced. "BLESS THIS NEW QUEEN WITH A CHILD BORN FROM THE GODS. INFUSE THE INFANT WITH THE SOUL OF THE LATE HIPPOLYTA AND HER SISTER ANTIOPE AND BLESS HER WITH THE FOLLOWING! THE BEAUTY AND POWER TO LOVE LIKE APHRODITE! THE WARRIOR SPIRIT OF ARTEMIS! THE REGALNESS AND PRIDE OF HERA! THE SWIFTNESS OF HERMES! THE FURY OF POSIEDON! THE STRENGTH OF ZEUS! AND FINALLY THE WISDOM OF ME! LET THIS CHILD BE BORN!"

A ray of ethereal light fell across the dirt mound before each piece of mineral separated from olive skinned flesh and tanned soft skin. Piercing blue eyes and wisps of black strands of hair caught Diana's attention as she picked up the wailing child and cradled the baby girl in her arms.

"Born from the dust of the Earth Mother Gaea," said Athena. "What shall you name her?"

The Amazon princess rocked her newly adopted baby. "Diana. After me."

The Greek deity clapped in her hands in delight. "What a wonderful name. It suits her just like her mother, Princess Diana…"

"It's Hippolyta," corrected the raven haired monarch. "Queen Hippolyta now. If I am to be the new ruler of Paradise Island, I think I would like to honor my late mother by taking up her name." The Amazon princess exhaled. Rejecting her birth name and bestowing it upon her new daughter, the monarch one known as Diana exhaled a breath and looked around her island nation. "As a matter of fact, I think one of my first duties as monarch is to rename our island as a symbol of unison between our two divided tribes of Paradise Island and Bana-Migdhall. I believe it's time that we start incorporating other ideas than just peace and tranquility."

Athena put her hands to her hips. "And what would you call your new nation, Your Majesty?"

"Themyscira," replied Queen Hippolyta."

Athena smiled and nodded. "Ahhh, the archaic Greek term meaning warriors. Very clever."

The new Amazon queen could not agree more.


	2. Chapter 2

_Twenty six years later…_

_**Downtown Los Angeles, California**_

_**The Offices of Themyscira Industries**_

Wearing a green Vera Wang dress with a plunging V-neckline, Diana Themyscira sat behind the desk of her multi-billion dollar conglomerate Themyscira Industries as the reporter Constance Tanner interviewed her for the cover of People Magazine. The corporate executive, known as Wonder Woman to the outside world, tried to feign a smile as the journalist asked deeply personal questions about her sex life.

"How does the world's most powerful superhero find time to date?"

Releasing a giggle, Diana blushed. "Actually, I don't Constance. With running a big company like mine and trying to save the world and attending charity events, dating really has taken a backseat to my life."

Somehow the raven haired Amazon's answer did not satisfy the curious reporter. "Oh come now, Miss Themyscira, you can't tell me that a gorgeous woman like yourself has trouble getting a date?"

"Like I said, Constance," Diana emphasized. "I'm a busy woman. I hardly have time for the dating scene…"

"What about the rumors that Wonder Woman is a lesbian?" The female journalist bluntly asked.

"Excuse me?"

Diana was taken aback by the question.

"The rumors that you Miss Themyscira, a.k.a. Wonder Woman, are in fact a closeted lesbian. I mean it seems the tabloids and public speculate about your sexuality. You are an Amazon living in an isolated country where they are no men. You're never seen around town with a guy around your arm and when you're out and in about, you're usually seen around town with a group of female friends…"

"That will be all, Miss Tanner!"

Etta Candy, Diana's personal assistant and best friend, entered the corporate exec's office at the right time as the flustered Amazon was about ready to toss the nosy journalist from People out the window of the high rise building. Grabbing Constance's arm, the African American woman roughly escorted the reporter outside.

"Wait, I still have a couple more questions!" Constance Tanner protested.

"E-mail it to us and we'll send you a reply," answered Etta. She shoved the interviewer out the door. "Oh and for the record, Miss Themyscira is not a lesbian. Not there's anything wrong with that!" Pressing her hand to latch, she shut the door in front of the reporter's face.

"Thanks Etta," Diana frowned as she folded her arms. "What a rude woman. Even my fellow Sisters back home would treat one another with respect and could care less if two Amazons found comfort in each other's arms…"

Etta plugged up her ears. "Okay…Di…I get the picture. The People Magazine interview was a bad idea. I'll let the PR department rethink another strategy of softening your image."

The statuesque Amazon pouted. "Why does PR need to soften my image in the first place? I'm fine the way I am. The public accepts me."

"Half the public accepts you," corrected Etta. "The other half thinks you're a psycho vigilante who thinks she is above the law. I mean you break arms during an interrogation and even killed a couple bad guys in the process. People fear you, Diana. You're not human and Mortals fear what they don't understand."

Her best friend's words struck a chord with her. What Etta was saying was correct. Her overwhelming need to protect the world of Men at all costs had made a bit of a pariah with Mortals. When she came to America, she knew that her mystical superhuman abilities could make a difference in Man's world. Little did she know that it would make her feel alienated from the people she wanted to safeguard. She inhaled and listened to Etta.

"Fine, Etta," the Amazon replied. "Let PR know that I'm willing to do anything to soften my image."

"It's not all bad, Di," said the African American woman. "Social media loves you. Twitter, Tumblr and even Facebook are blowing up with fan pages dedicated to you and your exploits."

"Tell me about it," smiled Diana. "I checked the Wonder Woman Facebook page and it's hit ten million friends. Even Tila Tequila never had that many on Myspace."

"And don't forget the numerous internet blogs detailing your heroics," added Etta. "Perez Hilton put you on his list of top sexy women on his site."

The blue eyed Amazon rolled her eyes. "I hope he didn't link it to some nude porn site. The last one I saw photoshopped my head on somebody else's body who had triple D cups. I mean Amazons are known for our ampleness but we're natural not grotesquely silicone injected. My tits are not that large!"

Etta cleared her throat and shook her head. "Di, Wonder Woman is not vulgar, remember?"

Diana clucked her tongue and sighed. "Of course, she isn't. She's perfect. That's how the world sees her. Perfect tits. Perfect ass. Beautiful. Sexy. " Her voice started groan. "It's not like Wonder Woman can ever have a bad day…"

A dark blond man in suit rushed into her office carrying a file folder. Fifty three old Henry Detmer marched toward the Amazon and placed the file folder on her desk. As Diana's business partner who owned half the shares of her company, she had grown accustomed to the older man's concerns in regards to the daily issues affecting their business.

"We have problem," he said.

"Henry," Diana responded. "Don't worry about the overseas factories manufacturing my clothing line. I made sure that the workers are being taken care of, being paid fair wages, and are treated justly. Despite the rumors, I'm not running a sweatshop."

Henry shook his head. "It's not that, Di. It's your rival. Veronica Cale. Your assistance in her arrest and exposing Cale Corp's illegal steroid manufacturing is jeopardizing the criminal case. She might be released."

Diana flared her nostrils. "How is that possible? There was overwhelming evidence that she pumped all those victims with some lethal steroid? Remember that college bound athlete that died?"

"It doesn't matter according to the American legal system," noted Henry. "The fact is Di you broke into the facility illegally, assaulted her employees, and killed a security guard with brute force."

"He was shooting at me. It was self-defense."

"Not in the eyes of the law," responded her business associate. "You're superhuman. You could have easily disarmed him with your Lasso of Truth instead of throwing a metal pipe through his neck. Veronica Cale has hired a good defense team and it seems the jury will side in her favor in accordance with the justice loopholes. You, on the other hand, are being subpoenaed by the judge to testify in court of your knowledge of the crime."

"That's image suicide!" Etta stepped in. "Veronica's attorneys are going to make Di to be some psychotic villain. Already, public opinion is divided in regards to her actions. She can't possibly testify."

"She has no choice," said Henry. "If she doesn't, the court will hold her in contempt and the judge will possibly throw out the criminal case. Veronica Cale would be free woman."

Diana clenched her fists. "That is not going to happen." She glanced at both Etta and Henry. "I'm going to that trial and testifying. I'm Wonder Woman and as the champion of the Man's World, it's my duty to ensure that justice is served. The truth must be told of Veronica Cale's criminal activities and I do believe that once the jury hears my side of the story, they'll do the right thing and convict that woman."

"Let's hope that they do," sighed Henry. "If you still have faith in your Greek Gods, Diana, I would start praying now!"

* * *

_**T**__**he Island of Themyscira**_

Hidden away from Mortals and concealed within the mysterious Bermuda Triangle lies the Amazonian island of Themyscira. Named in reference to the archaic Greek word for _warrior _by the second Queen Hippolyta, the all-female populated nation had spent twenty six years developing their skills as formidable fighters and peace inspiring priestesses. Once divided by two factions of the Amazon tribes of Paradise Island and the Bana-Migdhall, the two had finally come together in a unity and love and fiercely devoted their lives to superior athleticism, the arts, and worldly knowledge.

Queen Hippolyta stood in front of her mystical mirror that revealed all events that transpired over time in the outside of world of Man. Once known as the original Wonder Woman when she was Princess Diana, she secretly longed to return to the world of Mortals and partake in their ordinary lives. However, the immortal monarch had made a solemn vow to the Gods of Mount Olympus to take over the duties of rulership from her late mother that she quickly suppressed those desires. It came at the right moment especially when her Amazonian generals, Philippa and Artemis, came striding in.

At 6'5, the dark skinned Philippa proved to be an imposing figure compared to the six foot, golden haired Artemis who fell a bit short than her fellow Themysciran Sister. As a master archer and swordswoman, she became the mentor of Hippolyta's daughter, Diana, and taught the young princess everything she needed to become a great warrior even surpassing her teacher in the process. Artemis held a steely appearance about herself that even her fellow Amazonian Sisters considered her to be as cold and unfeeling as a person could be but only Hippolyta and Philippa knew the truth about her. The golden haired warrior did have a heart but her years as Bana soldier had hardened her to the point that she suppressed her emotions. Queen Hippolyta hoped to change all that over time and appointed her Second General of the royal guard.

"What news have you brought, Philippa?" The monarch asked her most trusted advisor and friend.

Philippa had been one of the surviving Amazons of Paradise Island after Circe destroyed most of her fellow Sisters during the Washington Monument battle of 1986. Her lover Rita had been one of the casualties of that event and Hippolyta's heart broke each time she saw the sadness in Philippa's face when she thought about her. Hoping to give her fellow Amazon a sense of purpose, the queen anointed her First General of the royal guards, a role that Philippa proudly carried out. Now both women stood before their country's ruler in the throne room ready to share some distressing news.

"It concerns the princess," said Philippa.

Hippolyta clutched her chest of her royal robes. "Diana? What have you discovered?"

Artemis walked up. "I'm sorry, my queen, but we have been consulting with our oracle, Evadne, for quite some time. She has had several visions in the last few weeks in regards to the whereabouts of Princess Diana."

"What has Evadne revealed?" Queen Hippolyta asked the two women.

Philippa lowered her eyes. "I hate to bear you such bad news, Hippolyta. The princess's one year of self-imposed exile has created quite a problem in the Man's World. It appears she has taken up your mantle of Wonder Woman in a city known as Los Angeles and has chosen to battle all foes through the use of aggressive force including not above committing murder."

"Murder?!" The monarch gasped. "That is not what Wonder Woman represents. We are the Amazons of Themyscira and it was our duty to spread our message of love and peace in the world. Even I never resorted to killing an enemy even if they were dangerous. How has the law not charged her for such a crime?"

"Fear," Artemis answered blunty. "It seems the princess has begun supporting herself by running a successful corporation by selling such ridiculous things such as Wonder Woman dolls, clothes and other wares. This allows her to fund her crime fighting activities with weapons and vehicles. The public seems to either fear her or love her and her haughtiness to reveal herself as an Amazon without a secret identity displays arrogance on her part. She's calling herself Diana Themyscira in the outside world now."

The Amazon queen shook her head in disbelief. "She's foolishly not considering her safety by making her persona public! She's going to be a target for even more dangerous foes."

"That is why I'm suggesting we bring her back home," advised Philippa. "She's already jeopardizing our people's safety by public acknowledging our existence. It's only a manner of time before Man crosses the magical barrier of the Bermuda Triangle and drops their missiles and nuclear weapons on us."

"I agree," said Artemis. "The Gods of Mount Olympus gifted us a second chance for a utopian society and erased any knowledge of us from the world of Mortals. Princess Diana's interference in Man's World will put us in danger."

Queen Hippolyta sighed. "You're correct in your fear, Artemis. Diana left the sanctuary of our island because she blamed herself for the accidental deaths of her fellow Sisters when a man first set foot on Themyscira. She's foolishly lashing out because of her guilt."

"None of us blame the princess for what happened," added Philippa. "It was all the manipulation of Ares who tried to free himself from Tartarus with the dragon medallion. Diana couldn't have known the casualties involved."

"I blame that man!" Artemis hissed. "His interfering presence is what caused all this trouble. If he hadn't crashed his small plane on our island, the princess would not have been infatuated with him and led him to the dragon medallion. Our Amazon Sisters would not have died trying to keep Ares imprisoned and Princess Diana would not left with that man into the outside world!"

Raising her hand, the monarch calmly soothed the golden haired warrior's anger. "Now. Now. We can't blame the man for his engine failure. Ares is manipulative God and is known for his trickery. He entranced Steve Trevor into crashing on Themyscira and stealing the dragon medallion. I knew his father. I fought alongside him. Just like Steven Tevor senior, the son is a good man."

Philippa clucked. "It seems you're a bit bias when it comes to this Steve Trevor person."

"Perhaps I am," exhaled the queen. "It doesn't matter now. Right now, our priority is bringing my daughter home for her own safety as well as the security of our people."

The First General shrugged her shoulders. "But how? Compared to the other Amazons, the princess was magically birthed by the Gods. She's stronger and faster than the rest of us. She won't submit to us willingly."

Folding her hands, Hippolyta nodded in agreement. "I've considered that." Taking a few paces near her generals, she crossed past them toward chest near the side of the throne room. Opening up the lid, she removed a golden belt, golden staff, a pair of gold bracelets, and a folded red, white and blue uniform from the container and handed them to Artemis.

"What's this, my queen?" The golden haired warrior inquired curiously.

"Before Diana left with Steve off this island," the Amazon leader began. "She stole several magical items including several of my warrior garbs, Hestia's Lasso of Truth, Hephaestus's indestructible vambraces, and Themyscira's magical tiara. Luckily, I had kept several magical armaments in different locations should an emergency situation arise. That time is now."

The golden haired Amazon stared at the arsenal and shrugged. "Why bestow them upon me?"

Queen Hippolyta smiled. "Because I want you to have them. You, Artemis, are the strongest, fiercest soldier of our army and it by my judgment that you carry out this mission to return my daughter home. You have trained Diana since birth to be the finest warrior and you alone know her strengths and weaknesses."

Artemis's mouth dropped. She was flattered by her monarch's request but she did not feel confident in completing such a quest. "My queen, I thank you for your consideration but like I said before, the princess is naturally and stronger and faster than any of our other Sisters. She won't easily be defeated."

"Not without magical assistance," corrected the Amazonian queen. "The golden belt is a shard made of the Earth mother, the Titan Gaea. When worn, it will grant you godlike strength equal to my daughter. It will level the playing field in battle. The golden bracelets are what's left of our Feminum mines. It's not as powerful as Diana's magical vambraces but it will shield you from Man's bullets and most mystical weaponry. The staff was a gift from the messenger god Hermes. It can be elongated for vaulting over high towers and can be separated into two batons to aid you in a fight. Use it with compassion and conviction to protect yourself. Finally, the warrior garb is part one of many that I wore as Wonder Woman. It is symbol of courage, freedom, democracy, peace and love. Make me proud, my fellow Sister. You are the representation of Themyscira and continue to spread our message of peace and love to the outside world and reteach Diana the philosophies she had lost when she left us."

Nodding her head nervously, the golden haired warrior said nothing. Spreading her hands to touch the invisible threads of magic that were blessed by the Gods of Mount Olympus, she spun around to allow the cocoon of mystical energy to surround her. Instantly in a flash of light, she stood in front of Philippa and Queen Hippolyta dressed in a red zip up dress jumpsuit with tiny embroidered eagle insignia, dark navy tights and leather boots with star spangled sleeves, and wearing her golden belt, bracelets, and holding her golden staff. Philippa handed her a bow and a quiver of arrows and kissed her cheek.

"Don't forget your bow and arrows," said the First General. "You are our people's Master Archer. You'll need it on your mission."

Artemis glanced at herself in the throne room's magical mirror and admired her appearance. She could not believe how amazing she looked. Feeling the comforting touch of her queen's hand on her shoulder, Hippolyta also bestowed a loving peck on other cheek.

"Go, dear Sister," said the Amazon monarch. "Complete your quest and bring honor to your fellow people and return safe with my daughter."

For the first time, the golden haired soldier wanted to cry but held back her tears. "I will, Your Majesty." She hugged both Hippolyta and Philippa and raced out of the throne room to pilot one of the invisible planes.

* * *

_**California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation**_

_**Los Angeles**_

Veronica Cale sat in her orange jumpsuit inside the private conference room as her defense attorney Aungela Kendall spoke to client in confidentiality while the prison guards stood outside the room. After the scandal of Veronica's involvement in manufacturing illegal, lethal steroids came to light her company had been seized by the government and corporate owner was tried for her crimes.

"So how are my chances of being found not guilty?" The dark brown haired woman asked her lawyer.

"About fifty percent," replied chestnut haired Aungela. The thirty year old attorney had yet to lose a case but given the magnitude of her client's crimes it became apparent this might be her first time she had a loss. "Our people are using ever tactic in the book to get you off."

Veronica snorted. "You better. I'm running low on funds thanks to the American government seizing Cale Corp and pretty soon all the money I'm paying you guys will eventually run out."

"Don't worry," reassured her lawyer. "We've subpoenaed Wonder Woman to testify. We're going to prove that her unwarranted, illegal actions attacking your company and harming your employees have no bearing on your alleged crimes. The judge will have no choice but to throw it out."

The corporate exec folded her arms and frowned. "I doubt that is going to happen. The public loves that bitch! Character assassination will do very little in swaying the jury's opinion of me."

Aungela Kendall leaned back and smirked. "That's why I came up with a Plan B."

"Plan B?" Veronica's voice sounded dismissive. "What other evidence could you have that will work in my favor?"

Pushing her chair back, Aungela walked over to the door of the conference room to let in a female figure inside the chamber. A woman approximately in her eighties with long stringing curly gray hair and a wrinkled face and wearing flowing dark robes came striding in. The thirty year old attorney assisted the elderly woman into a chair next to her.

"Who the hell is this?" Veronica asked.

"Good day, Miss Cale," said the old crone. "I contacted Aungela here about offering my services. You see, my dear Sister, you and I have a mutual enemy that must be dealt with and only I can help you escape your present situation and at the same time carry out our revenge on the person who wronged us."

Curious, the dark brown haired business woman leaned in. "And who might that be."

The crone snickered. "She goes by the name Diana Themyscira in the outside world but we all know her as Wonder Woman!"

Intrigued, Veronica grinned. "I'm listening."

"There's so much we need to do, my dear Veronica," said the old woman. "But first, let's see about getting you freed from this unfortunate incarceration."

"And how can you guarantee that?" The business woman rolled her eyes. "I'm not sure that if my defense team can even win my case! Plus, I have no money to pay you since the government has frozen all my accounts."

Shaking her palm, the old woman cackled. "Money is frivolous in this world! Don't you worry, Miss Cale, if it's money you request I have plenty of it. Too much for even you can fathom. Being who I am…let's just say that I have amassed an unending fortune over the years."

Veronica pricked up her ears. She seemed much more interested now. "Okay, I'll bite. If you claim that you can do what you say, then perhaps my generous benefactor would like to provide me a name?"

"Circe," answered the elderly woman. "Circe Penthesilea."

"So Circe Penthesilea," said Veronica. "How do I know I can trust you?"

Circe grinned wickedly. "Sometimes, Veronica, you need to believe in a little magic."


End file.
